Calelectric generator



sylvania,

ful Improvements in Calelectric Generators,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD G. AOIIESON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

:CALELECTRI'C c ENER ATtOR.

of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the generation of electricity from heat, or the conversion of'heat energy directly into electric energy, or'the adding of electric energy to a current already existing and independently generated; and myinventiou consists in the new method of carrying out this object, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

In my patent, No. 375,408, dated December 27, 1887,I describe and claim a method of converting consisting heat energy into electric energy, in causing heat-lines to traverse an eleG JQ .,cnductor and produce a magnetic whirrtutting said heat-lines, and thereby con- ,these drawings vert the heat energy into electric energy, and my present invention may be said to be an improvement upon the broad idea therein set forth and 'the'carryingforward of that invention in another method.

In theac'companying drawings I'have shown so much of one embodimentof my invention as isnecessary toga clear understanding of thepiinciplesfand,operation thereof, and in Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of oneco'nstruc'tion that embodies the principles ofjniynew method of genera tion or c'onversion. Fig; 2 is a plan view showing joneform of. apparatus which I have foundconvenient to use. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of Fig. 2 through the line 0c :r, and Fig. 4 is a similar cross-section of Fig. 2through the line 5 z.

My present invention is based, primarily, upon the discovery that if the two elements forming a thermo-couple be so situated as to be Within the influence of lines of magnetic force while at the same time hcat-curronts are traversing them, there will be a conversion of the heat-currents, or a portion thereof, as aresult of the presence of the lines of magnetic force, and a current of electricity will be produced of a value greater than that due to the ordinary thermo-current or the sum of that of Letters Patent No. 407,761, dated m 30, 1889.

Serial Ila-307,481. (N0 model.)

current and any current resultingjfrom' i'n-' duction.

Referring to the diagram illustrated in Fig. 1, D is an alternating current-dynamo or other" similar suitable source of electricity. T rep- O the circuit of the transformeiga of which circuit is parallelWit-hand resents closing the terminals portion a transformer, and O adjacent to the two elements A B, forming a thermo-couple. Arranged in proper relation to this couple is a source of heat L, as a lamp" and in the circuitof or other suitable means, the couple is a translating device G, which may be of any suitable kind, being repre-" sented, in the present instance, as a ga'lvano'ineter. I

I find that if the source of heatL is removed and an alternating current is causedto pass through the circuit C C by means of the geneia ator D and transformer T, the translatingdevice G in the circuit of the thermo-coup-le will show that a current or currents of a cer tain definite value are circulatingin 'saidl B and the circuit, composed of the elements A conducting-wire. Again, I find that When the generator D and transformer Tare removed electrically and no alternating currents are used in the circuit C 0, upon approaching the point of junction J of thether'm'o elements" with a source of heat, as a lamp, a'curr'ent of another certain definite value is generated is indicated upon thetranslating .device' of these functions are" when the gener ator D is run and the transformer T'is operand G. vNow,'when both produced together that is,

ated and alternating currents are produced thereby in the circuit CC, and the heatis atthcsame time applied at the point of junction J of the thermo-cou'ple-a much larger amount of energy is exhibited in the translating device G and circulates through the circuit thereof than would be produced as the sum of the two former values. This extraenergy, thus demonstrated as being produced by the conjoint operations, is to be attributed to a conversion of a portion of the heat energy that was applied at J into electric energy, and the amount of this conversion will, to a great extent, depend upon the particular form and proportion of the apparatus made use of.

ICO

In the primitive form indicated in the sketch I have obtained definite results; but in the form indicated in the remaining figures of the drawings, as well as in other forms which I have not deemed necessary to illustrate, I have obtained more pronounced results.

In the remaining figures, M represents a core of iron, solid orbuilt up of plates or wire, as may be desired. 0 C are coils of wire corresponding to the circuit C of Fig. 1, through which coils the currents produced by the generator D are sent, and which are used to magnetize the core M. In the present instance these coils O are shown connected in series, although they may be otherwise connected, as is well known. Arranged upon .this coreand preferably upon opposite sides thereof are the elements A B, forming the thermo-couples, and they are placed so as to embrace the core and have their points of junction J adjacent to each other within the limits of the core. These couples are shown as connected in series in order to get the strongest eifects, the positive eleme not one couple being connectedto the negative ele- I ment of the next couple.

The source of heat L is arranged midway between the sets of couples, so as to direct the heat upon the points of junction of the couples. I have found it convenient in this construction to make use of partitions P, of

non-heat-absorbing material, to aid in applying and directing the heatcurrents to the thermo elements. The translating device G is connected in circuit wlth the thermo elements.

It will be understood that in this arrangement when an alternating or intermitting current is caused to traverse the coils O 0' there will be produced reversals or variations in the magnetism of the core M, and this will cause lines of magnetic force to cut the elements A B of the thermocouples, and there fore the currents of heat flowing through them. This cutting'produces a conversion of the heat-currents into ,eleetric energy, and this energy is added to the energy produced by the other sources of electric energy, as above stated.

It will be understood that I do not wish to limitmy method of operation to the specific or superposed uponconstruction of the devices shown, as many forms and arrangements may be made use of, and, as will be understood, the conversion of heat energy into electric energy may be performed at the same time and with the same apparatus that is used to change or alter the potential, as in the ordinary transformers, such a construction as I have shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 being suitable for accomplishing both purposes.

I have not described any specific thermocouples, as my experience shows that any of the ordinary elements may be used in the generator without change in the kind of results.

I do not wish to limit my invention to the use of an outside or primar generator-,as indicated in the drawings, although to the present time the best results have been obtained by such use.

What .I claim is- 1. The method of converting heat energy into electric energy, which consists in causing heat energy to traverse the elements of a thermocouple and subjecting the said energy to the influence of changing lines of magnetic force, substantially as described.

2. The method, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of converting heat energy into electricv energy, which consists in causing heat-currents to flow from the-points of junction of two dissimilar metals, and subjecting said currents .to the influence of lines of magnetic force.

The method, substantially as hercinbcfore set forth, of converting heat energy into electric energy, which consists in producing intermitting currents in a circuit arranged in inductive relation to a thermo-couplc producing magnetic lines by the agency of said current-s, applying heat to said couple, and subjecting the heat energy .in said couple to the influence of said lines of magnetic force, substantially as described.

Iii testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speci ficatiou in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD G. ACIIESON.

Witnesses:

F. M. KING, M. 1 CASSIDY. 

